Morning in Maryville
by Rosepixie
Summary: A series of very short stories about characters from Kirsten Larsen's stories in the morning. There is very little plot, but it is safe to assume that the stories all take place on the same morning, so small connections may become evident. I have no current plans to expand any of these, but may continue to add more of them over time.
1. Kirsten

It was still dark when Kirsten opened her eyes, but some streaks of dawn lightened the horizon. She was enjoying being snuggled into her cozy bed underneath the blankets and quilts, but she knew it was time to get up. There were chores to do and then school to go to. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped her feet into the leather slippers waiting there for her.

Kirsten wriggled out of her nightgown. She was already wearing a shift and two quilted petticoats, but she slipped a third petticoat and an extra pair of woolen stockings on before reaching for her green woolen dress. Once all the buttons on her dress were done up, she stood on her tip-toes to reach for the hairbrush on the shelf above her little bed.

Kirsten wasn't one to worry about her appearance much, but she loved the soothing feeling of the brush running through her long hair. She let out the braids she had slept in, finger-combing them loose, and then began to brush out her long blond hair. Without use of a looking glass (Mama had the only one the family owned safely stored in her trunk), Kirsten plaited her hair into two long braids and then twisted them up over the top of her head. Some of the girls in Minnesota didn't wear styles like this one, but Kirsten loved the traditional styles. The wrapped braid crown reminded her of how all the girls back in Sweden had worn their hair.

Finally, Kirsten stepped out of her slippers and pushed her feet into the warm boots that Lisbeth had recently outgrown and passed on to her. She carefully laced and tied the boots before heading down to begin her morning chores on the farm. She could already hear Lars outside calling in the cows to be milked. With a smile, she headed out to collect her bucket and milking stool and get started.


	2. Lisbeth

Lisbeth yawned as she headed out to the barn. Papa had already brought their cows in to be milked and the animals were restlessly waiting for her.

Lisbeth found it irritating how cheerful her sister Anna, who loved mornings, was when she herself felt so much like crawling back under her quilt and going back to sleep. She scowled as she thought of the younger girl dancing around as she went to care for the chickens.

As she set her stool next to the first cow, Lisbeth thought about how much lonelier the barn felt in the morning now that Kirsten wasn't here working beside her. Kirsten and her family had moved away to their own farm only a few weeks ago and Lisbeth missed them. They still saw Kirsten and her brothers at school, but it wasn't the same.

A cold winter breeze cut through the barn making Lisbeth shiver and lean her forehead against the warm flanks of the cow she was milking. On mornings like this, she wished she could wear trousers like a boy. Layers of petticoats were nice and warm right up until a wind found its way up under them.

Lisbeth moved on to the next cow and decided that it was time for her to shake off her negative thoughts. As Mama liked to say, "each day has enough of its own misery," so she needed to be more positive and not dwell on what made her unhappy lest it grow.

Turning her thoughts to more pleasant things, she thought about the verse she had memorized in English to recite at school today. It was the longest she had learned yet and she was very proud of it. Kirsten and Anna would be so impressed when they heard it, but it wasn't their reactions she looked forward to most. Lisbeth could barely admit it to herself, and would never own it to anyone else, but she most wanted to impress the tall new boy who sat near the back of the schoolhouse. She wanted to see his soft blue eyes light up with admiration when she recited the poem in front of the class.

The cow stamped its hoof in annoyance at Lisbeth's inattention. With a start and rapidly reddening cheeks at her train of thought, she turned her attention back to her work.

What was happening? She never got distracted like this, especially over a boy! It couldn't be good that he was making her forget her work! She squared her shoulders and determined not to let it happen again, no matter how nice his smile was.


	3. Lars

Lars pulled on his boots as quickly as possible. He knew that Peter would have to get up soon, but he could sleep a little longer. Lars could hear Ma and Pa already up and knew Kirsten probably was as well.

After a final tug on his boot strings, Lars got up to head out for his morning chores. Ma was working on breakfast in the big main room of their new farmhouse and she gave him a warm smile as he passed her to follow Pa out the door.

It was still fairly cold outside, but Lars wasn't bothered by it in his warm sweater. Besides, it was nothing compared to the icy chill of winter when the ground was covered in snow. He headed out to the pasture to bring in their cows for milking. As he tromped through the damp grass, he practiced reciting the English verse he had learned for school.

When they had first reached Minnesota, Lars had been annoyed at Pa's insistence that he go to school with Kirsten and Peter. He had wanted to be past such childish things and be treated as a man.

But then he had watched his father struggle with building a life for his family without knowing how American money worked or being able speak English. He knew Pa hated always having to ask for help. Lars never wanted to have to struggle like that to be able to take care of his own family. School may feel childish sometimes, but lessons in English and how things worked in America had already let him help, especially while Pa had been away.

If learning English would mean Lars didn't have to rely on someone else to get him a job or to negotiate his pay, as Pa had to, then it was worth it.

Besides, the cattle didn't care if he recited verses as he worked, and it passed the time well enough.


End file.
